Even if you aren’t following the student government elections, if you will attend City College next fall, you should know the name Daron Woods.

He’s in his second semester at City College, hails from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and ran unupposed to be the next president of the Associated Student Government.

The ASG represents the student body at City College. This board of officers organizes, finances and directs programs and events held on campus and serves as a liaison between students and the administration.

The president of ASG also serves as a student member of the San Diego Community College District board.

Woods said he’s up to this challenge.

He is majoring in political science and plans to transfer to either University of California Los Angeles or University of California San Diego to focus on international relations.

“Being a foreign student brought me to ASG, when several people recommended it to me, and I immediately thought that this is something that I wanted to do,” he said.

“I think I bring a fresh perspective to this campus that’s already seen as very diverse. I want to keep advocating for students and diversity.”

He is passionate about increasing student involvement on campus.

“My plan is to increase the size of events that are usually small, and make them big ones over several days, with more ways students can participate.”

He gave one example.

“On Earth Day, you attract all kinds of students and can get speakers on climate change, the environment, food conservation, so many topics, and generate so much more participation.”

He also wants to develop more cooperation with City’s sister campuses, Mesa and Miramar, as “… this helps everyone in the end.”

“Last time when all three colleges had a retreat, it was very productive. I want more meetings among our campuses like that, to work together.”

Woods was asked how he felt running unopposed.

“I still want to have respect for the process, you know, never phone it in… I have been running my campaign carefully. We need to see more students participating and that is my main goal.”

He will be preparing for taking over next fall with two training sessions in the summer, where elected campus officials learn to “juggle responsibilities effectively, managing their time and public relations and so forth.”

Current ASG President Laura Benavidez has already been coaching Woods about how to succeed her at the district board meetings.

“I have all the confidence that Daron will step up and take responsibility. He has been so open-minded and ready to learn, and right off the bat has always stepped up.”

She added, “I’ve connected Daron to several former presidents besides myself who are still on campus, to have this support system… it’s like this secret club of stress nobody else knows about, but we’re all there for each other.”

The co-adviser to the ASG, Lori Oldham, praised Woods for stepping up to the position.

“I think he is very charismatic, I think his desire to learn, his passion, his background, can be an inspiration to so many others, to show them that they can be a part of big new things.”

Woods said he will be ready to get to work on behalf of students.

“I look forward to expanding the reach of ASG, and helping more students to participate and see the difference they (can) make…..anyone can help make a change.”